--Chauncey Billups underwent what the team termed a successful arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Thursday. The surgery was performed ty Dr. Stephen Lemos at DMC Surgical Hospital in Madison Heights to "smooth irregularities in the meniscus and alleviate pain and inflammation," the team said in a press release.

--Atlanta comes in on a seven-game losing streak.

--The reeling Hawks' injury situation is serious enough to force Brand to start at center. Gustavo Ayon (right shoulder) and Pero Antic (right ankle stress fracture) both should be back soon but have been ruled out tonight. Atlanta dressed 10 players in Wednesday's loss to Washington.

--Atlanta made a low-level deal at Thursday's trade deadline, acquiring Antawn Jamison from the Los Angeles Clippers for the draft rights to Cenk Akyol, who plays in Turkey and was drafted by the Hawks in 2005. The Pistons stood pat at the deadline.

--The Hawks swept consecutive games Nov. 20 and 22, winning the first 93-85 at Atlanta and the second 96-89 at The Palace. Jeff Teague averaged 18 points and eight assists in the two games.

--How the Pistons manage their shooting guards should be interesting. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who started 40 games before Singler replaced him in the lineup, kept Korver right at his averages the first two games, when the Atlanta sharpshooter averaged 11 points and made a total of six 3-pointers. But Caldwell-Pope shot 5 of 23 from the floor in the two games. Singler, meantime, scored 22 points in the second meeting, primarily at small forward.

If Atlanta native Josh Smith ever were to rise up against his former team -- and to be sure, he hasn't -- the time is now.

When did the Pistons' problems start this season? You can point to any of several possible turning points but the first significant problem internally came during the November games against Atlanta. Smith was 5 of 15 in the first game and outplayed by both Millsap (19 points) and Carroll (first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds).

Smith stayed behind in his hometown that night, rather than accompanying the team on the flight back to Pontiac. The Pistons had played a back-to-back and NBA teams rarely practice the day after back-to-backs. Beyond that, Smith said his father had been ill. And no practice was called in the locker room after the game. He didn't think he had any reason to be back in Detroit.

On the plane, former coach Maurice Cheeks informed the team it would practice the next day. Smith also was informed but opted not to try catching an early flight back to make it to The Palace.

Smith didn't start the next day, the first time since 2004 that he didn't start a game in which he was available, and was 0 of 7 from the field in 20 minutes of playing time.

The Pistons paid Smith an average of $13.5 million per year, over four years, to get them to the playoffs. He has given them back 22.5-percent 3-point shooting in return. To justify that contract, a big performance against his former team would help.